, a UNESCO world heritage site. The embattled leader called the victory an "important achievement."

On Thursday, observers and activists said that Syrian rebels and their allies had cut off a key supply route along the border between Syria and Turkey.

Factions of the Free Syrian Army reportedly entered the IS-held town of al-Rai, which not only sits along the supply line to Turkey but also to Aleppo.

Di Mistura has announced a restart to peace talks

Peace talks set for April

Meanwhile, leaders from the international community are still aiming for a political end to the war, which has dragged on for five years.

UN Syria envoy Staffan di Mistura announced that peace talks would restart on April 13, after initially suggesting they would begin on April 11.

Di Mistura is meeting with leaders in the region as well as beyond in order to drum up support for the new talks. Among the cities he's set to visit are Damascus and Tehran. He was previously in Moscow, where he